players Who You Thought WOULDN'T Make It.............

Justin Langer: I guess having seen him bat beautifully in his first Test whilst getting bruised head-to-toe that I always thought he had the goods to be a gritty Boonie-type player. When he was dropped, I was outraged and when he came back trying to play a million shots and forgetting his defensive game, I was thinking "Why?". I honestly thought after the English Test series, we'd never see Justin again. However I've been proven wrong. He's finally managed to combine his great defensive technique with some shots and his scoring in the series' against NZ and SA was phenominal.

Matthew Hayden: Well we'd all seen his amazing run of sores at FC level and as much as he pounded by beloved South Australian Redbacks (among other teams), I just couldn't see myself rating him THAT highly. I mean he seemed to have the technique down (with possibly a deficiency in his back-foot play) but to me didn't have the mental toughness required. When Curtly had his measure in 1996, it only served to strengthen my position. Then he was picked in the Aussie one-day side after a particularly good season (even better than his usual high standards) and eventually took Blewwy's place in the Test side (a travesty I thought at the time). He had a few good scores against NZ and the WI but still, I didn't think he'd last.

Then INDIA came along and he batted away all of my concerns with a phenominal series. Don't know what it was but no-one could bowl to him. Amazing. Since then, he's gone on to belt every team around every park and with his increased confidence has come a tighter defensive technique, better back-foot play and eventually much bigger scores.

Chris Cairns: To be honest, to me he was a highly talented player with a great technique but injury prone and mentally soft. That held up until around 5 years ago and since then, he's become one of the most feared hitters in world cricket and a much improved bowler PLUS, the ability to play innings under pressure (ICC one-day tournament final in Nairobi and the 'Gabba last year). If he stays injury free, he'll be one of the greats.

I don't think Shane Bond has 'made it' yet. He's playing Test cricket but is yet to establish himself in the NZ side, let alone as a world beater. He's well on the way but consistent performances against all teams is needed now.

I think he has the talent but now just needs to put the performances on the board.

Sehwag: when he made his debut 3 yrs ago in a oneday i thought yet another flat track nbully...but he has proved me wrong atleast until now.

Warne : 1/148...his first bowling figures at international level...boy what a long way he has come..

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Colin Miller: Where did this guy come from? He's been around so long in Aussie circles as a medium-pace bowler of some note who was respected but not really able to destroy batting lineups. I mean *I* never thought of him as anything more than a reliable bowler (especially for SA) who was never going anywhere higher than Shield level.

How wrong can one be, eh?

Next thing, he's picked on a tour of Pakistan as an off-spinner/medium pacer at the spritely age of 34 and was saying, "What on EARTH are the Aussie selectors smoking?? Why not pick someone much younger for the future??!??!". I was stunned. But he stayed in the side and before long was taking wickets against most teams. Needless to say I was flabbergasted by his rise and just to play *A* Test was a feat for him but to be successful too?? Unheard of.

So to 'Funky', I salute you for proving me wrong and showing the world that even the ugly duckling can be a swan.

my jury is still out on Langer - granted he's had a couple of great seasons since coming back on the Ashes Tour as makeshift opener - but he has had a lot of luck going his way even in the NZ tour he should have been given out 2 or 3 times in the early overs but went on to get big scores. I guess you ride your luck but it could just have easily gone pear shaped for him.

Bond is certainly looking the goods with 5 wicket bags in each test in the W Indies coming back from his broken foot.